Last week has been so busy, haven't had the chance to even update my blog, guys!

I was so lucky to be able to join one of my photography students (Peace Olabode) on the set for the client's upcoming baby clothing collection - Dawn Clarke Design. Dawn is an absolute star in every possible meaning of this word. She was so professional and well-organised that I couldn't expect more from her. She really participated actively, while we were shooting, that both the moms (Sarah and Laura) and their babies (Finn and Rosie) felt engaged and comfortable. I was really impressed with Dawn's overall approach on the day as often clients leave the work on the creatives and sometimes the creative vision doesn't meet both sides. I highly recommend to engage with your client and keep them in the loop of your work because this way there won't be any disagreements at the end of the day and the photos will be useful both for your portfolio and the client's business.

Now, before I get blamed for favouritism over my clients, I want to give you a bit of background on the day and overall idea on how it all happened. We were lucky enough to be shooting in a very beautiful house in Swanmore - Hill Place. Definitely worth the visit, takes you back in time and the best part is that this venue is open for Weddings, Conferences and other events. In the beginning, we were expected to use only certain parts of the guest house but once we met the lady who ran the place - she was so genuine and nice that she let us get comfortable and use whatever part of the building we want. Believe me, this is quite overwhelming as it means we had to explore and choose where to photograph the garments.

*Helping Peace capture smiley shots of baby Rosie on her throne*

The start of this project was the most difficult part, I believe. Getting to know the babies and making them at ease was the most important thing. If they don't feel comfortable around us, the only photos we will get will be of tears. A tip here is to spend enough time with them in a room and let them get used to your voice and look. Luckily, thank you, Dawn, we had food on our side and this really helps with the bonding. We all enjoyed a few sandwiches and brownies (some more than others 😅) and we head over to the first room.

We overall photographed in three rooms, one staircase and a picnic with a swing nearby. By the end of this - the kids were already tired and this was such a pleasant challenge to have. Thank God, the whole group was so supportive and we all worked together to achieve the following images:

The stars of the day - Rosie & Finn

Baby Rosie looking adorable in one of Dawn Clarke's designs

Little Finn looking all dapper

... and another one of Rosie looking like a princess :)

Finn looking secretly at his mom

Clap your hands

Overall, it was a productive day and the final images turned out well, while the client was left happy and I and my student had a great fun (moms got great photos for their family albums). There isn't anything else you would want from a day like this. Moreover, the cherry on the top is when your client has something to say and really appreciates your input:

“ Sio was superb, right from the start, so professional and arranged everything for me. As an ex-Primary School Teacher, I strongly believe that you can only get so much knowledge from lectures and the real learning starts when you are given an opportunity to put the newly acquired skills and tips into practice, especially when working with babies - you have no idea what might be thrown your way! ”

— Dawn Clarke

Here I would like to mention a special thank you to Dawn's partner: Brian. He was an absolute hero on the day - driving, assisting, providing and other -ings I cannot think of. Thank you for the help and open approach to everything! The supermoms for being the hidden heroes on the set and controlling their little gems and making sure they can be the best versions of themselves in front of the camera. Last not least, Dawn, I am so happy to have been part of this project and thank you for choosing us and allowing us to help you build this project from scratch together with you. Means a lot!

P.S. A few days later, this arrived through my letterbox. How magical!